Before Sunrise
by The Light-Hearted Fool
Summary: Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask - Link takes it upon himself, on New Year's Eve, to watch the moon in vigillance, haunted by the past. Sheik is curious, naturally, as to why, and sits vigil with him.


**Disclaimer**: The rights to Legend of Zelda belong to Nintendo, of which the author and editor of this piece of fan fiction are not a part. This piece has not been written for profit, neither is it in circulation for profit.

**Notes:** I don't really like writing for contests, because I find it confining and I don't like deadlines for fan fiction (I'll reserve that for original fiction, shall I?). However, when I see someone floundering with inactivity, I do feel some urge to say something or do something. So, since the ~Link-X-Sheik-Club on deviantArt has been floundering enough to extend a deadline _twice_, I felt I should at least help put an end to the suffering contest by banging out some low-quality fluff.

**Additional Notes:** Some sort of ambiguous AU in which Sheik is not Zelda and in which Link experienced the adventure of Majora's Mask, because that's what _I_ think of when I think of Hyrule and New Year's Celebrations.

**Finally:** Hyrule does not go by the Gregorian Calendar (which originated in the Catholic Church for some idea of cultural relevance), thank you; some people need to take this in mind and either call themselves AU for involving the Gregorian Calendar, or come up with something else. I could go on, but I don't want my notes to be longer than my fan fiction.

Before Sunrise

The merchant caravan from Arison rarely travelled to Hyrule, and Sheik thought it a stroke of luck when he'd heard that they were heading that way. Travelling with a caravan meant there were more sets of ears and eyes to watch and listen for dangers, which was always an asset in foreign terrain. Travelling with the caravan also meant that he would arrive ahead of schedule, as they planned to reach the Castle Town before the sun rose on the New Year. Sheik had planned to return after such celebrations died down.

Of course, the caravan overestimated itself. They were running behind, leaving them to travel later in the nights. They still had a way's to go, if they planned to reach the Castle Town before dawn. Sheik honestly didn't think it was that important, but, then again, he wasn't a merchant. He had nothing to gain from bright and loud Hylian festivities, save for a headache.

He found his headache actually coming early, from the lack of sleep and the clatter of the carts. If it weren't for dutiful politeness, Sheik would have abandoned the caravan a few days prior. They were already deep within familiar territory, after all. The benefits no longer outweighed the detriments. So, the Sheikah youth was left idly watching the countryside.

That was, until an unusually bright, silver flash caught his eye. Over on a far-off hill, he could see a silver glitter, as if someone with a signal-mirror were reflecting moonlight. He focused on it, trying to see the origins, but it was a lone shimmer of light in the otherwise dark landscape. Sheik practically itched in his need to know what that was.

He slipped off the back of the cart he was on, at once, not even tarrying an instant longer to leave a note (he'd already paid a fee to travel with them; what did they care?). If it was some sort of signal mirror, it was much more important than arriving early. If it wasn't, it still needed investigating. After all, he couldn't think of anything else that would light up like a beacon in the dark of night.

As he walked, he noticed the light flicker, and concentrated on deciphering some sort of pattern. The flashing was irregular, but the time between flashing seemed somewhat consistent (even when the light vanished from sight, at one point, it reappeared within the same span of time). Eventually, Sheik did reach the hill on which the shining beacon sat. It sloped gradually, so the dot of light never left his sight.

The closer he drew to the beacon, the clearer he could see it. It was a shield he recognized well, one with a wailing, haunted face emblazed on it, made from a highly polished and reflective metal. It was nothing more than the peculiar wanderer, Link. He was likely unaware that his shield was alerting any and all keen eyes in the countryside to his presence.

The wanderer appeared to be staring up at the moon with deep concentration. If Sheik's observations were anything to go by, he'd been doing so for quite a while. The question, of course, was _why_. It wasn't exactly usual for someone to stare at the moon with such intensity, even for such an atypical wanderer as Link.

It certainly wasn't normal, either, for the man to be so solemn-faced.

Sheik intended to call Link's attention to his presence by asking, "Expecting it to do a trick?" but Sheik wasn't able to get even the first syllable out, as the very second he made a sound, he was forced to jump back or sustain bodily harm.

The sound had pulled Link from his stupor and, with amazing reflexes, he'd pulled his sword from its scabbard and swung it around at him. There was a beat of silence between them, and Sheik barely dared to breathe, let alone think, as he stared down at the sword's tip, only a hair's breadth from his nose. Thankfully, Link had enough of his senses left that he recognized Sheik, and pulled his sword away after a moment.

He returned it to its sheath, muttering a slightly abashed, "Sorry," and returned to his vigil.

The Sheikah tilted his head curiously to the side, wondering again over the odd behavior. He took a step to the side, to better see the man; to better observe his moods. Link was tense, and his gaze was focused but it seemed troubled. Over what, though?

"You seem distracted," Sheik said, keeping his tone even, neutral.

Link nodded once, but otherwise might as well have been a statue.

Sheik frowned, and wondered if the subtle route was just ill suited to Link. He couldn't ask _'What are you doing?'_, though. The answer was obvious: Link was keeping a vigil watching the moon. Asking _why_ Link was doing such a thing was _far_ too direct. With Link's tense decorum, Sheik wasn't likely to get an answer, anyway.

Though, with Link's brow furrowed lightly in what appeared to be worry, Sheik was willing to sacrifice some amount of subtlety.

Steeling himself for any startled reflexes, Sheik then asked, "What troubles you, so?"

Link only jumped a little, and Sheik saw him glance towards him for a fleeting moment, before it turned skywards again. Sheik was both annoyed and concerned at the lack of an answer. Link wasn't a close-mouthed individual, after all. Whatever it was, it was important in some way.

Before Sheik could think of a different answer, Link _finally_ spoke up, "The moon."

Sheik really should have guessed an answer like that, but at least the way Link answered was more informative than what he said. Link sounded reluctant, as if admitting something that shamed him. Quite curious, really. Sheik couldn't think of anything that would explain that feeling in Link.

"What is the moon going to do?" Sheik asked.

Link's reply was also reluctant, "Nothing," though Sheik heard plenty that Link didn't say – he hoped it would do nothing, it sounded like. Of course, that also meant that Link thought – nay, with his behavior, Link _feared_ – it would do something.

"What do you think it will do?"

Sheik was surprised to hear Link sighed, as if annoyed, "I don't want to talk about this, Sheik."

Sheik peered at the wanderer again, feeling that Link's behavior was not very rational. He was tense, curt, and unwilling to divulge information even when he clearly thought something could happen. Link was clearly afraid of something on an irrational level. The Sheikah felt a twinge of concern over why that might be.

"What happened?" Sheik asked, his concern just barely breaking through his even tone.

Whether it was the question that set Link off, or the not-completely-neutral tone, Sheik wasn't sure. However, that didn't change the fact that Link didn't react well, at all. Sheik found himself pulled eye-to-eye with the man, with a crushing grip on his shoulder.

"I _don't_ want to talk about it."

Sheik forced himself to keep relaxed and calm in Link's grip, reminding himself that no matter how irrational Link was, he wouldn't give Sheik any _fatal_ injuries. Of course, Sheik was still stuck in a dangerous position. Bodily harm was still bodily harm, and Sheik preferred to avoid it, particularly when he had to make an informational report to the royals.

So, Sheik dropped it: "All right."

Link gave Sheik a hard stare, as if scrutinizing him for deceit. After a moment, he pushed Sheik away, apparently still agitated, but unable to pin anything on the Sheikah. Sheik kept still, even after Link went back to his vigil. Even if Sheik wasn't able to pry the information from him, the matter did need some diffusion. If nothing else, it wasn't healthy being so tense.

With a better idea in mind, Sheik sat down nearby; it was easier to look up that way, without straining the neck, and it, of course, took weight off the legs. It relaxed the body.

"You know," Sheik said, keeping his tone as light as he could, "it's easier to watch, this way."

He was fully prepared for another negative reaction, but was rewarded with nothing worse than a wary stare, as if Link thought he was trying to trap him.

"Come again?"

"The moon. It's easier to watch, this way."

Link's expression soured, visibly, but he otherwise ignored Sheik. He remained standing, staring up at the moon. However, Sheik was willing to be patient. Link wasn't going to relax if Sheik kept pushing and prodding, after all. He had to wait, as non-threatening as possible, if he wanted Link to calm down in his presence.

He could tell the thought was in Link's mind. He could see it in how Link shifted his weight from foot-to-foot, and in the way he rubbed his neck. Sheik knew the thought of sitting in recline was appealing. He also knew that it was more relaxing to lean back than stand. Relaxation took the edge off an alert vigil.

A few moments more and Link sat himself down. Sheik did not immediately react, of course. He pointedly did not acknowledge the event, at all. He just discreetly watched the adventurer for a moment. Link was still no more relaxed than he'd been, standing, but without added physical tension, the odds of him relaxing were better.

Sheik did not know exactly how long they sat there, leaning back to watch the moon. Though, the moon had already begun its decline by the time Link flopped back on the grass, lying there with a weary sigh. Link was noticeably more relaxed, so Sheik hazarded speaking.

"You look tired."

Link made a non-committal sound that was thoroughly ruined by a long yawn. The power of suggestion was amazing even in trace amounts.

Sheik, feeling more confident at a lack of any sort of violence, asked, "How long have you been awake?"

Link surprised him with an actual answer, "I don't know. Sometime since last night."

Sheik then joined Link in lying in the grass, "Maybe you should take a nap after the sun rises."

There was another moment of silence between them, and Sheik knew it wasn't out of comfort. Link still had some anxiety in him, after all. Sheik could only hope that it would fade away as Link became more comfortable.

Then, Link asked, "You think I'm out of my mind, don't you?" Though it was phrased as a question, it sounded as if Link was stating something as fact.

Or, as the case was, non-fact. "No," Sheik replied, "I think you're not telling me everything, but I don't think you're out of your mind."

Link didn't seem very mollified by this. After a moment's silence, Link shifted, propping himself up to look down at Sheik, annoyed. "I'm not going to be tricked into telling you anything."

Sheik told him honestly, because Link deserved nothing but honesty from him, "I'd like to know, but I'm not going to make you tell me anything."

Link still appeared unconvinced, "Then why are you still here?"

"You brought me here, with your signal mirror," Sheik replied, drawing a little much needed levity into the conversation.

For some reason, that seemed to diffuse Link's sudden return of aggression. Sheik wasn't going to question that good fortune, so he just let it be. He was content to lay there in silence, watching the slow path of the moon. He wondered how many people were doing the same thing, across Hyrule, waiting for the dawn of the New Year. In the end, he supposed it didn't matter. Their situations were incomparable, even if Sheik didn't know Link's reasons.

At some point, though he tried valiantly not to, Sheik found himself nodding off. The rest of the night was lost in the soft haze of sleep.

All he knew afterwards was the sun, high enough in the sky to seem obscenely bright. He shut his eyes tight against it and pulled his head cover over his eyes. Even without celebratory shouts and music, he found himself feeling on the brink of a headache. He shifted to get up, and perhaps find some shade, but found himself stuck, by another's weight.

That was when he remembered Link and his strange vigil over the moon. Sometime after the wanderer was content that the moon was doing what it was supposed to (and not doing whatever it might have done for whatever reason), Link obviously decided to curl around him, and use him as a pillow.

He ran a hand through Link's hair, feeling glad that the Hylian was acting more like himself (annoying and handsy even in his sleep). Sheik supposed that it could have been worse, traipsing through loud people who were far too pleased for another year. He could sacrifice dozing in the sun for a few hours.

He lay back down in the grass, and recovered his eyes, whispering, "Happy new year, wanderer."


End file.
